The 45th Hunger Games: The Tribute of District 4 (Watty Awards 2012 completed)

Chapter 2

A/N-Please don't forget to vote and comment, since this is entered for the Watty Awards! It would be very appreciated! Thank you and enjoy!

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The week had passed in a blur. Every day at school, I tried to learn as much as possible about the different types of arenas. At training, I had extra concentration. Naturally, I was skilled with a trident, and was capable with knives and spears. These were items that were found for fishermen. It might have been categorized as weapons, but what could the Peacekeepers do? All they could was to have tight security, and monitor the citizens from doing anything stupid or anarchist.

At home, Aldo had schooled me on the different types of plants and berries that he showed through a book that he stole back when he was fifteen. There were some that I weren’t familiar with, because it couldn’t be found in our district, but I learned them all the same.

The day of the reaping came speedily. There was no work that day. Everyone was within the confines of their homes, spending time with the children that they might not see after today. Two families were going to be unlucky tonight.

Since my brother had earnings that came monthly for the rest of his life, he had a beautiful dress that he purchased for me. It must have cost him a lot too.

The dress was a light green, which brought out my eyes beautifully. There were tiny embellishments scattered near the hem area that glittered in the light. The top was tight and cinched until my waist, but the rest of the fabric down flowed loosely until the middle of my thighs. The sleeves were made of a gossamer fabric.

Mother prepared my hair by using hot tongs that made circular shapes on my locks after a time that it was submitted under the heat.

They seemed to be making more of an effort on my appearance this year, compared to the last five years. I was now the same age that Aldo was when he became a tribute.

Father handed me the handmade bracelet made of shells, which I had around my wrist every reaping since I was twelve. Father had worked carefully on these, because it was tricky not to have the shells crumble or break.

When the time came that we had to walk to the town square, I gave my family individual hugs. Once we were outside the house, we saw the other victors and their families assembled on the beach.

There were three of us who lived in the Victor’s Village, who were eligible to perform in the Games. One was Nathan, who just turned twelve and a son of the victor, Eula, and the other was fifteen year-old Jasmine, the daughter of Travis.

The victors and their families said their goodbyes to the three of us. We had been neighbors for years, and we had attachments to each other. The younger children cried as they waved goodbye as the three families made their way to the road that led to the town square.

The ones who remained in the Victor’s Village would be watching from their television, and most likely, all of them would be together. I had only experienced this once, when I was eleven. The victors and the families, who didn’t have family members eligible all gathered at one house. The town square was too crowded, and the festivities proved to be too much for the victors.

District 4 had citizens who were honored to be a tribute, although there were definitely some who would avoid the death sentence as much as possible. Since we were trained though, and had a chance to survive, we looked to the Games with some hope, and we honored the victors who rewarded our district with food.

Victors had experienced the horrors of the arena too much, but some were still requested to the Capitol every year, so they had to go back. If they could though, they preferred to watch it on television, instead of be present when one of their tributes was sentenced to possible death.